Marriott Bonvoy has breadth in its brands. With 30 hotel brands in its portfolio, including Homes & Villas by Marriott International (a home-sharing platform), you can earn and redeem points at properties that fit nearly every style, budget, travel purpose and interest.

Hotel elite status can pay dividends when you earn it with the program that best fits your travel needs. But, should you pursue elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program? Sure. It comes with perks like late checkout, bonus Marriott points on eligible stays and maybe even free breakfast if you play your cards right.

But Marriott Bonvoy is making major changes this year that could sideline your redemption plans. While the program retains strong value, don’t get caught off guard with these mega changes.

Here’s what you should consider when deciding whether to pursue Marriott elite status this year.

Marriott Bonvoy vs. competitors: How it stacks in 2023

Marriott is the largest hotel program in the world by most metrics, so if you travel regularly, it’s likely you’ll find yourself staying in a Marriott at some point. And the good news is that Marriott is consistently a solid pick. Relative to other hotel loyalty programs, Marriott Bonvoy ranks just about exactly in the middle.

In NerdWallet’s annual rankings of best hotel loyalty programs, Marriott placed fourth place among six total hotel brands analyzed. It’s not the best program, and it’s not the worst program, either.

And while it is never the best in any single category, it also never ranks as the worst. It’s big, it’s reliable, and sometimes, when you’re planning a trip, that consistency is key.

Out of six hotel brands analyzed, here's a closer look at how Marriott competed across categories:

Fifth in effective rewards rate.

Third in terms of elite status program.

Third in terms of fewest fees.

Tied for second in terms of pet-friendly policies.

Elite status program value

In NerdWallet’s annual analysis of the best hotel elite status programs, we sought to determine how much value the major U.S. hotel loyalty programs deliver to guests. Here's how Marriott Bonvoy did.

Marriott Bonvoy status levels

Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program can get you perks like free breakfast and room upgrades.

Marriott Bonvoy has five elite status tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador.

Here’s a summary of the nights and spending requirements for each elite status tier in 2023.

Top perks of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program

Enormous global footprint

Marriott is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, with 30 brands and more than 7,000 properties in 131 countries and territories.

Transferable points

With flexible credit card points through programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards, you can turn other points currencies into Marriott points. This can help you meet the points requirements of just about any high-value Bonvoy redemption you have in mind.

Ample opportunity to stretch your points

Marriott Bonvoy runs promotions throughout the year to help members earn points or elite nights more quickly. One of its best ongoing deals, however, is its Stay 5, Pay for 4 offer.

When members redeem points for five consecutive nights, they’ll get the lowest point-value night for free. This can represent substantial points savings and make redemptions cheaper on longer stays.